I remember when Med Express first opened on Ortigas Ave. They were the first pharmacy to have a…read moredrive-through available and I thought that was sick... but there was one problem: their prices were markedly higher than Mercury Drug's or even Watson's. This was huge to me considering that Watson's in itself isn't cheap. So I stopped patronizing it despite the super cool drive-thru. Fast forward to a few years later, Med Express had set up shop in The Medical City where I often find myself and surprise surprise, their prices are now at par with Mercury Drug's! Ha. Glad they wizened up. The staff here always has smiles on their faces too, so plus points. BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE: They deliver!!!

There are a number of pharmacies in the Market! Market! area, but I still go to Metro Pharmacy…read morelocated in front of Metro Supermarket at the lower ground floor of the mall. Why? Because there's usually less people and no long queues of customers there. A big area of the pharmacy is allocated for non-prescription health and wellness section which sells vitamin supplements, protein shakes, and other herbal remedies. This is also where you can get over-the-counter medications, personal hygiene products, and even special haircare items. I like the fact that this pharmacy is quite strict with prescription medication. The pharmacists at the enclosed counter ask for prescription, dosage, and other important details to make sure that they dispense the right medication. They also suggest generic alternatives in case you are interested in saving money. Since the pharmacy is under Metro Gaisano, you can also get rewards for your purchases if you have a Metro Rewards card. This pharmacy is open daily during mall hours.

Everyone knows Mercury Drug but everyone should also get to know The Generics Pharmacy as well. My…read moregrand father lives alone. It's his own choice. We do visit him often though. As an old person, he gets sick often and sometimes, not everyone is available at a certain moment of time to rush to the store to buy medicine for him. When this happens, he heads to The Generics Pharmacy to buy his medicine. Branches are everywhere so it's easily accessible to the public and most importantly, my lolo gets to save money. A lot of Filipinos can't really afford off the counter medicine as they can be pretty expensive, especially if you need to take them in a longer period of time. This pharmacy's advocacy is selling quality medicine in affordable prices so that everyone can have a more affordable option. They have even won an award under the Department of Health. So rest assured that The Generics Pharmacy is a trusted pharmaceutical brand.

Nice little corner pharmacy were i needed to go because i had a very bad cold…read more The pharmacist was full of suggestions for decongestant and lozenges for my throat. Also you can buy distilled water and other items you usually find in a pharmacy.

I ran out of Meclizine for my travel back to the US. I had a long travel day ahead of me with an 11…read morehour layover in Korea, so I needed to get some pills. Luckily this Watsons was only a 2 minute walk from The Belmont Hotel. I headed to the counter and got my pills! This is a good sized Watsons. They have a nice section for personal care and beauty products. It looks fairly new so it was really nice and clean. As in most pharmacies or drugstore in the Philippines, you have to go to the counter and ask for the drugs you need from the clerk, even for OTC meds. They disburse them by the pill, so make sure you tell them how many pills you need.

Bad experience when returning something that I bought a day before, sealed in the box and with the…read morereceipt. They gave me all the bs rules in the book just to refund ₽1779. Not a fan. Not sure this is the San Fernando branch one.

This branch sometimes sells epilators! And if they have it, you buy it (or tell a friend who's been…read morelooking for it for a long time)! I usually come here to buy wax strips because they have different kinds for different purposes. So I come here for wax strips and leave with a million other items that I may or may not really need. See, the store is packed with all sorts of soaps, shampoos, make up, lotions, conditioners and the list goes on. Ah yes, you can also buy medicines here. Going back to the epilators, yes, they sell them. They also have hairdriers, hair straighteners, curlers, toothbrushes that run on batteries and those foot spa machines that make your feet feel so papered and loved. The price of their items? It will fit in your budget. You won't have to rob a bank or go hungry to buy what you want here.

For all my personal care needs, I go to the Watson's branch in Greenbelt 1, Makati. Filled to the…read morebrim with all sorts of shampoos, soaps, cosmetics, lotions, toothpastes and whichever else you might need to help you preen and primp, Watson's is definitely a goldmine for the kikay girl (or even guy) in each one of us. It's also worthy to note that Watson's also carries personal care appliances such as blow-driers, hair-straighteners and curlers to name a few. They've also got on-hand sales associates who can show you the proper ways of using these appliances (plus tips and tricks). Another helpful tip is to take note of discounts or promos that are offered in the store all year round. Aside from the usual personal care needs, Watson's also has an in-house pharmacy, making it the ultimate in one-stop shop wonders.

Living with senior citizen parents and also being so sickly myself means that I visit drugstores a…read morelot. In fact, I've memorized all the places to get pills here in the south, in Makati and in BGC. Good thing, there's a tiny South Star Drug right outside the village. Because it's right outside the village and it's tiny, it gets really crowded. I've never gone to this shop without seeing a line at the cashier and another line for all the drugs. With that being said, it takes some time to place an order and to get your pills. If you're buying a specific medicine that needs a prescription, you better bring it or they won't give you your medicine. Try to pay with cash 'cause it takes even longer when using a card.

The location couldn't be more perfect as it is right across St. Luke's. It's also walking distance…read morefrom a Starbucks. While there are lots of parking spaces surrounding the building, it's often full. The security guards however are very helpful when it comes to helping you park, and if you only mean to pick up a prescription or make a quick stop, they will allow you to put your car on hazards wherever there's space in the parking lot. It's one of the bigger Mercury Drugs, and I appreciate that because they're better stocked than other branches or pharmacies. The pharmacy counter is lengthy, allowing for several cashiers and faster service. I also like the pharmacists because they're pretty helpful, especially when they have the place isn't so packed and they actually have the time to spend on you. They will suggest alternatives for out-of-stock brands and will even tell you which is cheaper. They're open twenty-four hours, which is excellent for emergency late night runs. I purchase most of mine and my grandmother's meds here. It's not the closest Mercury Drug to my house, but it is the most efficient and convenient. Here's one thing most people don't know about the Mercury Drug card though: points expire every six months! So remember to use your points whenever you can. They don't tell you this unless you ask (pretty shady business practice if you ask me, but there it is).

Mercury Drug isn't the Generics Pharmacy, but the fact remains that I have a boatload of respect…read morefor them because they have the most affordable medicines and essential products such as toothpaste, mouthwash, tissue and the like in comparison to other drugstores like Watson's or what have you. I've come here more times than I care to remember for when I've needed to purchase cough medicine, cold medicine, antibiotics, allergy medicine, and more. This is also my go-to place for mouthwash, dental floss, tissue, hand sanitizer, and more. Invest in a suki card in order to earn points and shave a few pesos off of your next purchase.

A few steps away from CommCare is Supreme Pharmacy. Convenient, if you ask me. Go to CommCare to…read moreget diagnosed and get a prescription. Then walk a few steps (or ask someone to do if for you 'cause you're sick) to the pharmacy and get your medicines. Surprisingly, they do have an it's-not-that-wide-but-good-enough selection of medicines. They do have pills for the usual headache, fever and other common ailments. There are days when they have my dad's heart medicines, but most days they don't have it. I noticed that they have a lot of products for babies and children.

I bet many of us do not know that this is the original Mercury Drug store…read more The biggest pharmacy chain in the country started in this very spot. The reason I know this is my mom and her siblings used to "ration" meaning deliver food orders to the store when they were kids. My maternal grandma used to run a small panciteria along Bambang, walking distance from this store. Mom would recount how the pharmacy used to have a dispensing machine for Magnolia chocolait, and the owners would treat them to an endless supply, as much as they could consume, whenever they delivered food. Every day after school back when I was in elementary, I would walk from school to the panciteria, and would pass by Mercury Drug. At that time, we don't have any relationship with the owners anymore, because they've since become a chain operation. But it's nice to learn about this small bit of history. The neighborhood connections that tell a part of the story of the beginning of Mercury Drug.